Mommy Likes Rainbows
by Delayne
Summary: Willow is away from her family for the year going school, and misses her son's first year of school at kindergarten.


TITLE: Mommy Likes Rainbows

AUTHOR: Delayne T. Buranek

RATING: PG13

DISCLAIMER: Enter standard Disclaimer here. In Other Words, I own none of it, I use it not for profit anyway. I used to do this in hopes it would impress girls but I'm committed now so that is out of the question. But we have nothing to our name except our two dogs and you'll have to kill me before taking them.

SUMMARY: Willow is away from her family for the year going school, and misses her son's first year of school at kindergarten.

SPOILERS: AU, no real spoilers

FEEDBACK: Yes please. I'll even read "I hate you, you are horrible," but I probably won't take you seriously, unless you back up that statement with a well thought out reason as to why.

NOTE: Edited to remove personal religious bias. It should now be more politically correct.

- Boise Airport, December 2010 -

Willow was glad for the fall semester to be over. It had been a long plane ride from the east coast back to Idaho. The Christmas holiday would only provide a short break and there was someone very special who would be waiting for her when she arrived.

"Mommy!"

The small red-haired boy ran up to her as she crossed through the doors into the arrivals lounge and she swooped him up and spun him around.

"Hey Danny-boy, I've missed you."

He made a face. "But you talked to me on air-pane." He was still having problems with his Ls.

"Air pLane" Willow corrected.

"Air-pll-ane" The boy said slowly, sticking his tongue out in concentration.

"Yes, I did talk to you while I was the on the plane but it's been a while since I've seen you in person and could give you hugs and kisses." She attacked him with kisses until his initial happiness at being in his mother's arms gave way to the fact that he was a big boy now, 5 years old, and didn't need to be seen slobbered on by his Mommy. He had a reputation to maintain

"Kay, nuff!"

"I'm going to have to put you down now. I'm not used to carrying you. You've gotten so big!"

She placed him on the ground and then got sad. Her being gone for the year was going to make life better for them. Sure she could have gone to school closer but you can't really pass up on MIT, especially when your employer was willing to pay for it. And an intense accelerated program, with being gone only a year, was better than being too busy for her son for the next five or more years working *and* taking night classes.

"Willow." The soft voice broke her from her reverie. She looked up at the older blond who now had Danny by the hand.

"Hi Mom." Willow walked over and gave her a hug.

"Let's go get your bags." She said.

As they walked down the large staircase to the baggage claim area, Willow went into contemplative mode again. What would she have done without Kathy? When Willow found out, just before graduation, that she was pregnant, her own parents kicked her out. This woman took her in. And the fact that Willow knew this woman still would have, even if Danny had not in fact been her own grandson. Of course it involved leaving California and moving to Idaho. She didn't even walk at graduation. And after Danny was born and she was going through a rather dark time in her life, this woman continued to support her and help her.

Her family, the one that had chosen her, helped her, like a family is supposed to. She recovered and got a peon job at Micron. It was a few years before they discovered she was actually very skilled at computers. And instead of firing her and pressing criminal charges, thank goodness, they upped her pay and will promote her when she finishes the school program. Which was good because of the economy and cut backs, if she had still been a peon, she would have lost her job a while ago.

Oz was having enough trouble keeping a job. But he was still steadily doing the musician thing, which seemed to make him happy.

They reached the conveyer belts and bags started pouring out. She felt a tug on her sleeve. "Mom?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"I don't member what your bag looks like." He tried so hard to remember when she packed and left. It seemed like so long ago.

She smiled weakly, understanding how frustrating it would be to him.

"It's a big black suitcase, with a rainbow strap."

^v^v^

They arrived at the large brick house on the north end of Boise. Willow grabbed her suitcase and wheeled it in to her room. Or what used to be her room, now it was distinctly… Oz.

"Oh, sorry hon. We moved some things around. I thought Daniel told you."

Willow had a sense that it might have been mentioned during a Skype session but had forgotten. She wheeled her suitcase to her new room. Her things were much as they were before just in a different room. This room was bigger and had a bigger bed, which she was grateful for especially since her tiny room in Cambridge had a really tiny bed.

She unpacked a few things, played a few educational board games with Danny and they were sitting down to dinner when Oz came in. Danny jumped out of his booster seat and ran towards him. "Daddy!"

"Danny-boy!" He carried the boy back to the table and put him in his seat. "You should probably finish your dinner."

They sat and talked about things like a regular family. Sure they looked like a regular family, but they were anything but. They finished their family meal.

Willow started cleaning up the table when Kathy asked, "What are your plans for tomorrow?"

Before she could answer she heard a small voice. "Mommy, wiw you wawk me to school tomorrow?"

She tried her best to hold back the tears, all the times she missed out walking him before. "Of course I will, Danny-boy." She turned and headed for her room, she just needed a moment. She could hear Kathy saying, "She had a long flight and is used to a different time zone, let her rest tonight."

A little while later her bedroom door creaked open.

"Mommy?"

Willow had barely been resting, as she was caught up in an emotional rollercoaster that was bound to happen sooner or later.

"Come in Danny, it's okay."

"Grandma and I made cookies. I can get you one if it wiw make you feel better?" He climbed up on the bed and reached for his mother in a hug.

"I'm fine. I was sad before, but I am better now. You are with me."

"Why sad?"

"I missed out on a lot by being gone."

"Like wawking me to schoo."

"Yes, like walking you to school."

Kathy interrupted. "There you are. You should be getting ready for bed, young man." He pouted with a face that he clearly got from his Mother.

"He's fine Mom, in fact I will help him get ready for bed, and I will do the same. And he can sleep with me tonight," she turned to him, "That's if you want to kiddo."

"Yay!"

^v^v^

Willow woke up to an awake 5 year old jumping on her bed. For two night owls to give birth to an early morning riser was just karmic irony. Luckily she was still on East Coast time.

They got ready and we walked him a couple of blocks to school. "I like Miss Em." he said when Willow asked him about his teacher. "She is nice and pretty."

Willow smiled. She had actually asked Oz about their boy's teacher and he said the same thing. Only he paused and included, "She calls me Mr. uh, Oz." Apparently he even asked her out, but she doesn't date parents of her students.

Danny was worried he was going to be late and gave his Mommy a hug at the entrance before speeding off to class. 'Well at least he has my love of learning.' She thought before she followed him and peaked through the window of the class room. 'And he's also a smart boy with good taste in women. He was wrong about one thing though, she is more than pretty. She's gorgeous.'

^v^v^

"Will, can you pick up Danny? I got called into work." Oz said over the phone.

"I already planned to."

"Oh, guess I could have figured that. But another thing, go see Miss Em when you do, she left me a message saying she wanted to talk to me about something."

'Gladly' she thought but said, "Talk to you specifically, or talk about Danny?" Both thoughts worried her but for entirely different reasons.

"I don't know, Will, if she needs to talk to me directly have her call, if it's about Danny then I am sure you can handle it."

"Okay, I'll be there."

Willow showed up at the school, finding Danny playing with other kids in the playground being watched by a teacher. She just went inside, knowing there was a possibility that Danny's presence would not be beneficial. She opened up the door and became a deer in headlights when the blonde looked up.

"Can I help you?"

It took a while for Willow to remember, why she was there to talk to the beautiful teacher. She finally squeaked out, "Sorry. Oz couldn't make it. Did you need to talk to him specifically or is this about Danny?"

Tara felt dumbfounded. First of all who was this beautiful redhead staring at her. It wasn't Mr. Osborne or his mother, who was the only other person she'd seen pick Danny up. Sister perhaps? The red hair definitely put her to being a family member. She'd better check just in case.

"Sorry, you are?"

"Oh, I'm Danny's Mother."

Shock. When Tara didn't answer right away Willow's nervous babble kicked in sped up by her guilt.

"No, I mean of course you couldn't know that I am me, because I have been on the other side of the country, going to school instead of watching my boy go to school..."

Tara was torn. First she couldn't help but think how adorable this furrow browed woman was, and at the same time feel the heartbreak emanating from her. She was also confused because…

Tara interrupted the red head. "I'm sorry Mrs. Osborne. This is my fault."

This time Willow interrupted bug eyed and waving her hands wildly. "Hold on. Wait. Not Mrs. Osborne. *Miss* Rosenberg. But please don't even call me that, just call me Willow."

Tara continued the confused look while she tried to process the information.

Willow felt the pause and decided to continue. "Not married. Not even together, just uh, kinda had a kid together." Well now that she said it, it sounded kind of strange. But she felt compelled to straighten that bit of information up for the blond.

Tara was actually glad for that bit of information. A tiny part of her confusion was the question of why the redheaded man kept asking her out if he wasn't widowed. And kind of glad the woman wasn't otherwise attached hopefully, she did emphasize Miss.

"I'm Miss Maclay. But you can call me Tara."

There was a moment of silence as they smiled at each other. Then Willow remembered there was a reason she was here.

"So… Is this about Danny?"

"Oh. Right. Sorry. Yes. This is about Danny, so I don't need to talk to Mr. uh, Oz specifically."

Willow smirked at the Mr. uh Oz thing but then got very worried.

"It's fine." Tara said sensing the red head's worry, "He was just very rambunctious today. I think I now know why though, if you just got back."

"Yeah, yesterday."

"And there is another thing." Tara started to see Willow's panic rise again and decided to not pause so long. "I was wondering if you and Mr. uh Oz ever discussed skipping Danny ahead a grade?"

The panic in Willow didn't decrease. "No. No. No. We actually have discussed it because we know how smart he is. Way ahead of most kids his age. And he's already going to have a hard enough time, but he doesn't need to also be the young freak in his class. I mean I know what that is like. It is not fun. He was doomed having two redheaded genius parents, one of whom is g…."

Tara interrupted. "Willow, it's okay. I was just asking. Personally I agree with you, it is better to keep them with their peers. But since you answered that question, I was wondering if you have any suggestions to keep him occupied when he finishes his tasks earlier than the other kids? Something other than trying to help everyone else?"

Willow laughed, "Oh he'll eventually get over that. I did. But puzzles usually work. Math games. You could probably just tell him to do his task again."

"I figured as much, but you see I don't want to start giving him 3rd grade math worksheets and have him getting even further ahead of everyone, but still keeping his focus."

"Well I appreciate that, I guess I never thought about it that way."

"I don't want to quash any person's creativity or thirst for knowledge." The use of the word person and not child was not lost on Willow. They both seemed content that the conversation about Danny was over.

"So, I am still looking for parent volunteers to help set up for our holiday pageant tomorrow?" Tara asked.

"Uh, sure, what would you need me to do?"

"Just be there."

^v^v^

Tara had hoped to spend a bit more time with Willow during set up but spent more time scrambling every which way to make sure things were running smoothly. She did manage to ask Willow how she was doing once. She even helped Oz by holding speaker wire for a few minutes while he messed with them. She took that time to ogle the redhead, knowing full well she shouldn't, especially while helping Willow's...Oz?

She was having problems sussing out their relationship. They have a kid together, but they certainly didn't act like they're together. There was no animosity, only friendship and love. And it was confusing. When he caught her staring, she found the bravery to ask, sort of.

"You and Willow?..."

He smiled, now knowing the real reason the blonde teacher always turned him down.

"We are friends who have a kid together. Strange I know but it works," he couldn't help but tease though, "Are you sure you don't want to get coffee sometime?"

She looked at him in shock but found her automatic words "No, sorry, I don't date..." She almost said 'men' this time but was interrupted by Oz.

"I know, I know, you don't date parents of your students. Look I am done here if there is anything else you need to go do."

That was when she checked on Willow briefly before being called on to do other things.

The holiday thing, as Willow called it, went off without a hitch, except for the whole not getting to talk to Tara, which she really wanted to do more. Willow never got a chance to see Tara again before the holidays were over and she found herself flying back to Cambridge.

- Skype Convo, January 2011 -

Willow sat at her tiny desk in her tiny flat. She had to move it out of the way every night to pull out her bed that folded in the wall and pretended to be a closet during the day. And during the day her desk was pulled in front of the small window so when she wanted she could look down to the busy streets below. Right now she was focused at the smiling boy on her laptop screen.

"How was your first day back at school?"

"I drew a picture!"

"Can I see it?"

He held it up for the webcam. "Rainbows!" he said excited.

"Those are some excellent rainbows Danny."

He brought the picture down, so his smiling face could be seen on the screen again.

"Miss Em said if I was sad you was gone again I shoud draw you a picture." He was visibly bouncing in his seat with excitement, and like his mother's babble mode, he hit his excited one. "She said to draw something you like and I said 'My mommy likes rainbows' and she said that she likes rainbows too!" Danny paused to finally take a breath.

Willow jumped in, in case he felt the need to continue, thinking of all the times her friends were kind enough to do the same for her. "Well I really like the picture. Could you send it to me in the mail so I can put it up on my fridge?"

"Daddy awready scanned so you can have it now too."

- Skype Convo, April 2011 -

"I drew a picture today."

Willow peered behind her at her fridge, filled with drawings. The first rainbow picture was at the top, it also doubled as her computer background picture.

Danny continued, "But this one's not for you." He held it up and it was a drawing of a horse. It was a very good drawing of a horse, not even considering the fact it was drawn by a 5 year old.

"Wow Danny, that is really good. You are getting really good at drawing."

"Miss Em says I have a… knack." He fumbled with the word a bit, trying to remember exactly how Miss Em put it. "And I asked what it meant and she said 'it's something someone is nat-ura-lly good at' and I asked 'Like how Mommy is good with computers and Daddy is with his guitar?' and she said 'Yes.' And then I asked her what her favorite thing was and she said 'Horses'. This is just a copy, she would only take the one I drawed on if I made a copy to show you."

- Flight to Boise, May 2011-

Willow knew she should be sleeping more but she was too excited. She finally got a professor to cave in at the last minute for her to take her test early and skip out on class later that day. It was a family emergency. Her son was graduating kindergarten.

Willow arrived at the airport and grabbed a taxi. It was bright and early, and she might make it home in time for a surprise breakfast. Unless her son was too much like her, then he very well could be awake because of all the excitement.

She snuck into a very dark and quiet house. She was about to start some coffee and contemplate what to do for breakfast when the maker turned itself on by the alarm. Kathy would be up shortly and probably already planned a big breakfast. She checked the fridge. Indeed, bacon and sausage fresh from the co-op.

Kathy stumbled in heading straight for the coffee and mumbed "Mornin' Willow."

She then stopped, blinked a few times, and squealed running to give the redhead a hug. She then asked a million questions all at once, in a manner much more like her 'adopted' daughter than her actual son. And Willow was able to keep up and answer them.

"Yes. Just now. No. Just for today, my flight leaves at 8."

"Go wake Danny up."

Willow opened the door to find her boy sitting up in bed already rubbing his sleepy eyes. Surely, he heard the commotion in the kitchen as he was a light sleeper, unlike his Mom. Not that Willow slept much but when she did she slept hard as if making up for that fact. When he woke enough to take in his surroundings, he saw his mom and ran to her, very much like at the airport during Christmas. Only this time he was wearing his robot pajamas.

^v^v^

Tara put on her nicer dress suit. It was a lot less hippy than her usual, but this was graduation and all. She eyeballed herself in the mirror. Indeed, very professional. It just felt constricting. She turned from side to side assessing those angles. Besides, who was she dressing up for? Her kids would probably be in shock, and confused, seeing Miss Em all dressed up like an adult. And not that she ever cared about what the parents think.

Well maybe one opinion she admitted to want to know, but Danny said she was still in school too and had a test. Tara wondered if she would ever see the redhead again. If she did, she was going to be brave and ask her out. Tara wouldn't be Danny's teacher after today. And if she was wrong about the clues then at least she could say she had been brave, and then her few friends would stop harassing her about finding a girlfriend, at least for a little while. She looked in the mirror again and shook her head.

^v^v^

Danny talked nonstop on the way to school. In fact, most of it was exactly the same as he told her on Skype just the night before. The thought made her involuntarily yawn, 'was I really in Boston just last night?' They arrived to a very large auditorium, filled with kids and parents from all the kindergarten classes. With a mass of children, they had trouble finding Danny's class.

Willow, of course, was looking for a blonde woman that she desperately wanted to talk to more, maybe even be brave and ask her for coffee or something, you know, now that she wouldn't be Danny's teacher. But when Danny and Oz found the group, Tara was nowhere in sight. Danny pulled on the sleeve of a younger woman standing with the group trying to organize the kids.

"Where's Miss Em?" he asked. Indeed, 'Where is she?' Willow thought.

"She's a little late," The teacher's aide told Danny then turned to the adults, "I can get them organized though, and you three can go ahead and take a seat."

They made their way to some seats and Willow sat dejectedly. Why were they having such a big thing anyway? Why not do individual classroom things so she would have more opportunity not only to interact with her son but also his teacher. To make the all the parents sit there for who knows how long was torturous, she couldn't even imagine being one of the kids being forced to sit still.

Finally, it got to where Willow had to pay attention. Although she really hadn't spoken to the blonde much, her soft voice floated through the auditorium, and Willow heard it in her heart before her brain picked up on it. She looked up at the blonde on the stage. Tara was angelic in her flow-y embroidered skirt and blue peasant blouse that made her eyes sparkle.

Tara introduced Danny and he walked up accepting his 'diploma' and waved yelling "Hi Mom!" Tara, surprised, looked around for the redhead but half expecting just Oz with a video camera or something. Tara smiled brightly when her blue eyes met green. Willow smiled back. Tara almost forgot what she was doing, but regained after hearing a polite cough from the principal standing nearby.

After what seemed like forever there was punch and cake. And opportunity. Which Willow was finding to be sort of like during the holiday thing with everyone else busily taking up the blonde's time. A few parents even handed her what looked like presents, which most looked like gift cards as far as she could tell, but presents? School seemed to have changed since she went. It's like when she found out some people give Christmas gifts to their mailman, technically they aren't supposed to accept them but it happens all the same.

And why was she wondering about stupid stuff, oh yeah, she wanted to talk to Tara. 'She is probably going to be a while before she makes her way over here' Willow thought. The redhead downed her punch and handed the empty plastic cup to Kathy.

"I'm gonna go use the restroom." Willow then stalked off.

Tara saw a flash of red and decided now was the time. She politely excused herself from one family and headed towards the red. When she arrived, she only found two redheads.

"Miss Em!" Danny went and gave her a hug. "Did you see? My Mommy came!"

"Yes I did see. Where did she go?"

"Bathroom!"

Tara smiled ruefully. Maybe it was better this way, she would have difficulty asking out the redhead in front of her family. Oh, but she could catch her in near the bathroom. 'Bit stalkery McClay but what are your other options?'

Just as she was thinking of a new polite way to escape, and not give herself away by using the restroom as an excuse, behind her she heard "Miss McClay?" She turned to see the principal and he nodded her to follow. She turned back to the redheaded family, not sure what to say.

"Keep drawing Danny. Have a nice summer."

Willow walked up shortly after Tara left. She scanned the crowd looking to see if Tara was any closer to them than when she left.

"You just missed her dear."

Even Kathy was not oblivious to the way those two had been seeking each other out. Willow sighed as her watch beeped. They had to get going soon anyway, it was her pre-warning alarm, to make sure she had time to make it home before she had to leave to the airport.

- Boise Capitol, June 18, 2011 -

"Willow, I have got to go set up in the park now. I will see you in a little bit."

Willow waved at him awkwardly as her other hand held on to Danny's. She turned back to the Capitol building where a rainbow of balloons arched the podium set up on the steps. She normally would help Oz, which would save her from the crowds pushing in, but she wanted to see Nicole LaFavor speak. I mean there weren't that many females in the Idaho State Congress so to have a gay one was just awesome.

"Do you want to sit?" She asked Danny. He shook his head.

"Well, Mommy is going to sit."

They were back from the crowd that was slowly filling in. She hoped she could hear, but didn't want to push through and possibly lose track of Danny. Speaking of which, he was now spinning in circles, and Willow smiled, delighted in the amusement of simple pleasures. When he stopped spinning he was facing behind Willow. So she didn't see what it was that caused him to get excited and run off in that direction.

"Shoot. Danny!"

She shouted as she scrambled up off the grass. He hadn't gone far and Willow stood dumbfounded yet smiling when she turned to see her boy hugging a beautiful blonde stranger. She was wearing that eye popping peasant blouse. Tara took Danny's hand and closed the short distance to Willow.

"Lose something?" She said with a smirk, a half-smile that Willow swore made her feel a little shaky.

"Found it." She replied, knowing she meant it in more ways than one.

They stared at each other again. It was Danny letting go of Tara's hand that took her eyes off the greens ones she was staring into. She kneeled so she was eye level with different green eyes.

"You should be careful and not run away from your Mommy like that, even though you knew who I was. Okay?" She said very seriously.

Danny nodded, "Yes Miss Em."

Willow caught Tara's eye and mouthed 'Thank You.'

"Want to sit?"

Tara then noticed Danny's shirt. "Hey, I like your shirt."

Willow laughed, "I've gotten five 'Where'd you get that I want one's."

Tara knew where it came from. It was Danny's drawing of rainbows with one modification. Written in Danny's careful, and possibly traced hand, "Mommy likes Rainbows." Printed and ironed on his t-shirt.

"You probably could sell those."

"Well I am not the only creative mother, I saw a little girl wearing 'My Mommy wears a mustache'."

"Yeah, that is because her Mom is in the Bois of Boise."

When Willow gave her a strange look Tara elaborated.

"Local Drag King group. They can be seen at The Balcony occasionally."

Willow continued to stare at her blankly. Not because she didn't know but because she kinda went somewhere else.

"You don't get out much in the scene do you?"

"Uh, no, not really."

"Please tell me you've been to The Balcony, or know what The Balcony is?"

"Yeah, but it has been many years."

Not that Willow wanted to think about that time. She had just had Danny then, had been diagnosed with post-partum depression, and had finally figured out she was gay (lesbian sex dreams and pregnancy hormones) and wasn't doing well overall. She mentally referred to it as The Dark Time, and then she was Dark Willow. It involved going to the Balcony with her new friend, the nurse who kept flirting when she was in the hospital having Danny, drink more than any person should and occasionally wake up in strange women's beds. That was until a pissed off Oz and Kathy had an intervention and reminded her she had a child to take care of and helped get her some counseling, and took away her very well done fake ID (which she did herself). She realized at that exact moment maybe she wouldn't have felt so guilty in leaving for school if she hadn't abandoned him once already.

Tara watched silently at the play of emotions on the redheads face. Clearly, a subject for another time.

"So, I am glad I ran into you here."

This brought Willow out of her mind and she smiled. "Yeah?"

"I wasn't sure how much you liked rainbows. And I kinda wanted to ask you out for coffee or something." Tara blushed, marveling at her way with words considering she was a teacher after all.

"You know, I wanted to ask you to coffee too, only I never took into consideration your exact inclination towards rainbows. Though I guess I was glad to hear when Danny mentioned that you liked them when he first drew me the picture."

Danny had taken to spinning around again, always trying not to bother adults when they started talking to each other and clearly not to him. Plus it seemed from what he figured from the conversation, because it wasn't that he was not listening, he was just pretending not to listen, that it seemed Miss Em would be hanging out. He thought he'd check just in case.

"Mom, can Miss Em go to the park with us?"

Willow thought excitedly, 'I really hope so.' But she tried to play it cool, responding to Danny but looking and smiling at Tara, "If she would like to, I don't see why not."

He looked at Tara too, "Yeah, Miss Em, do ya wanna?"

If Tara hadn't already been totally okay with that idea, she would have folded under the pouty hopeful gazes of the two redheads.

"Yeah, of course."

The redheads smiled. Tara noticed Danny had his mother's goofy happy grin.

It was about then that people started gathering at the podium and noises were coming from the speakers.

They stayed quiet until...

"Wait, He wants us to do what?" Willow said incredulously.

"Come on Mommy, let's do the hokey-pokey!"

Willow had a look like she really didn't want to until she saw Tara stand and hold out her hand.

^v^v^

Danny started to slump over his eyes closing while sitting on top of Willow's shoulders as they made their way to the entrance where Kathy was going to come pick him up. He was coming down from the sugar high, as they let him get some rainbow cotton candy, and the excitement from the day. When Oz's band played, he even got to go up on stage and show off his T-Shirt as he yelled proudly "My Mommy Likes Rainbows!"

Willow and Tara were deep in yet another conversation.

"So you only just got back last night?" Tara asked.

"Yeah, actually graduation was today, but you know, I didn't need to go and I wanted to be home."

"You missed graduation?"

"Yep," She checked her watch, "Should have crossed the stage about an hour ago. But honestly," She paused again, "I am glad to be walking here with you than walking across a stage."

^v^v^

After Kathy took a passed out Danny home, the girls decided to continue their walk in the park. But the left the Pride festivities at Ann Morrison Park and went to walk the paths at Kathryn Albertson Park.

There they saw a few blue herons and even a wedding. And they talked more, lots more.  
>As inevitable of two gay people, no matter their interest in each other, their coming out stories were told. Tara started with hers. She grew up there in the Treasure Valley. She went to a writing camp at The Cabin in high school where she had met the famous gay senator that they both had come to see speak. From there she met supportive people who helped her come out to her family. These people also helped her once Tara's family quickly disowned her. Their strict religious affiliation was not too keen on that sort of thing. According to her father and step-mother, they would rather not have a daughter than have one who was 'that way' when Tara did not consent to go to conversion therapy.<p>

Willow, feeling more comfortable with Tara than she had with anyone especially knowing they shared the 'disowned by parents' thing, decided to recount her not-so-great story where she was the villain. Sure she feared that the sweet and kind blonde would go running for the hills, but it was a chance she took. Tara remained quiet while she told her tale and then hugged the redhead fiercely and whispered "I'm so sorry you had to go through that."

They continued talking until the phone started to ring from Willow's pocket. She recognized the tune.

"Sorry, that is Mom checking up on me."

Tara tried not to listen to the conversation but there wasn't much to it.

"Yeah, we are headed back now." Willow said into the phone before hanging up.

She turned to Tara, "Sorry Tara, uh, you know responsibilities and all. Can I walk to your car?"

"I don't actually have a car. I walked."

"Oh really? I don't have a car either. I actually walked too. So, can I walk you home?"

They quickly discovered how close they lived to each other. Willow lived on the street with the fancy homes and Tara two roads over closer to Hyde Park and both were close enough to be able to walk to school. Of course at the moment they still had to walk back to the North End, so there was still time to enjoy their accidental date. They held hands on the walk back.

At Tara's door, the basement of a house that was split awkwardly into apartments, they stopped. Willow leaned in for a chaste kiss on the lips which Tara gladly let happen. But as Willow pulled away Tara grabbed her and deepened the kiss.

The blonde breathily said as they broke apart, "I've wanted to do that all day."

"Me too." They kissed again.

"So, uh, can I call you tomorrow? Do coffee or something?" Willow asked.

"No."

Willow got confused. She really had thought it had been going well.

"You will call me when you make it home, so I know you've made it home safely. We can plan our coffee date then." Tara gave her crooked smile, the smirk reaching her eyes.

Willow smiled back, now understanding. "Yeah, I'll definitely do that."

^v^v^

As for the rest of the story, we all know it. But you can say it with me if it makes you feel better.

And they lived happily ever after. The End.


End file.
